Tiger
"Motor to 450 PS!" "Tiger, ready to blitz!" "Pride of the Fatherland." Tiger or Tiger I is an Axis heavy vehicle that is featured in Company of Heroes. Overview The Panzerkampfwagen VI, known as the Tiger, was one of the most powerful tanks to see action during World War II. The Tiger was built as a result of combat experience from the Eastern Front and North Africa, where the Blitzkrieg Doctrine usage of the lighter and faster Panzer Is, IIs,IIIs, and Panzer 38 (T)'s was shown to no longer be effective against the enemy. The Tiger featured thick armor and the powerful 88mm KwK L gun, a variant of the famous Flak 88mm gun. The Tiger name itself was intended to hurt enemy morale and to boost that of German forces; initially the tank's armor was so hard to pierce that it gained an air of invincibility among the Allies and just the idea of one being nearby scared Allied troops. First deployed in 1942, the Tiger served extensively throughout the war. From the Eastern Front, to North Africa, to the Battle of Normandy, it was the spearhead of the German Army. It was also an ace maker, creating legendary tank aces such as Michael Wittmann and Kurt Knispel who struck fear into Allied forces. However, despite all its power, the Tiger was built only in limited numbers and was hard to maintain, and thus could not turn the tide of the war. The Tiger tank will only be available with the Wehrmacht Commander's Blitzkrieg Doctrine. With an 88mm Kwk 36 L/56 gun and armor up to 110mm, the Tiger is one of the most fearsome Axis units in the game. It sacrifices speed and mobility for protection and firepower. It is also armed with coaxial and hull-mounted MG42 light machine guns to counter infantry attack. It can take on any type of unit, but it is best used as a tank killer. Its 88mm gun easily penetrates most Allied tank armor and thus does large amounts of damage. The only tank that can withstand its gun is the Allies M26 Pershing heavy tank. Its thick armor meant that the tank itself could take a lot of punishment. Any conventional AT weapon will have a hard time knocking out the heavily armored Tiger (unless used in large numbers) . Its MG42 light machine guns meant that it can also give infantry a tough time when trying to engage the Tiger, even if equipped with light AT weapons such as Bazookas, Recoiless Rifles and Sticky Bombs. Tanks like the M4A3 Sherman, Cromwell Tank and M10 Tank Destroyer stand little chance against the superior armed and armored tank (unless used in conjunction with infantry or in numbers) making it a pretty nasty vehicle to deal with, even if operating alone. The Tiger can be an excellent heavy support vehicle for infantry and tanks, providing fearsome anti-infantry, anti-tank and anti-fortification fire. Most Axis Commanders intend to use it as a spearhead, storming into the battlefield and crushing any resistance, both man and machine. If well supported by infantry such as Grenadier Squads & Stormtrooper Squads, the Tiger can dominate the battlefield with its superior firepower and armor protection. If a Wehrmacht Commander utilizes the Blitzkrieg Assault Tactics, the upgrade will greatly increase its movement speed and rate of fire, crushing everything on its path. The Tiger is truly a foe to be feared. Details Campaign use The Tiger serves as a formidable foe for Able Company. It was first action seen in the last two missions during the Falaise Pocket, Tiger tanks were first seen action in the Mission Autry. Joseph Gunter Schultz and his Tiger Ace tank along with a few other Tigers was sent to guard the escape route in this mission. Captain Schultz's Tiger tank in particular is incredibly tough as it has twice the amount of hitpoints than the average Tiger tank and and is equipped with a smokescreen. It has also a surprisingly short repair duration similar to a normal Tiger tank. Able Company will usually have a hard time during this mission. During the last mission-Chambois, the German Seventh Army makes its final attempt at escaping the Falaise Pocket. When Able Company successfully captures all strategic points and closes the road the German Seventh Army sends Tigers in an attempt to reopen it. Able Company must destroy all the Tiger tanks and close the road of Chambois, cutting off the only escape route of the German Seventh Army. Weakness No matter how dangerous the Tiger can be it still requires large amount of manpower resources to deploy. And only one is available to be deployed on the battlefield at any given time per commander. Since it is a slow moving tank it can be easily ambushed by the weaker but faster M10 Tank Destroyer. The M26 Pershing can also be used as a shield for the M10. Large amount of AT weapons and tank fire concentrated on the Tiger could also knock it out. Most Axis Commanders will use Tigers as spearhead to the front, so it is advisable to deploy mines to badly damage it or better, making it immobilized. Tigers are also a tough tank to repair, so it is advisable to take out a Pioneer Squad using snipers and light weapons and then flank it and attack its rear armor. The Tigers armor was engineered to survive the impact of shells, not deflect them, allowing multiple successive hits to land, in contrast to the StuG and Jagdpanther where most shells harmlessly deflect. Tiger Variant If you have the Wehrmacht army in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts and access to the Terror Doctrine. Instead of the standard Tiger Ace, you will have the chance to access the ultimate psychological weapon of terror - the King Tiger! Another variant of the Tiger is the Bergetiger, an unusual but highly important armor repairing and recovering vehicle. Variants not included in the game include the Sturmtiger, a Tiger assault gun with more armor and armed with a 380mm rocket launcher. Tiger Tank "205" Tiger is back as a campaign playable unit in Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor. Instead of playing the Wehrmacht Heer army, the campaign featured a single Tiger tank in which the Axis player can control its turret, direct fire control, switch firing shell types, and purchase and upgrade abilities similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II. This campaign, known as the "Tiger Ace" featured 5 veterans that fought in the Eastern Front and were redeployed to France to engage the Allied force. The Tiger belongs to the 101st Tigergruppe, and is commanded by Major-General Maximillian Voss (from Opposing Front) and Hauptmann Josef Schultz (the antagonist of the original game). Category:Vehicles Category:Wehrmacht Units Category:Company of Heroes